Centrifuges

ABSTRACT

A centrifuge having a circular head horizontally mounted on a vertical rotable shaft with a resilient test tube holder mounted adjacent the head having radially disposed openings in alignment with openings in the head for frictionally engaging test tubes inserted through the openings.

United States Patent 1191 McKenzie et al. 14 1 Jan. 9, I973 [541 CENTRIFUGES 2,739,759 3/1956 Davidson et a1 ..233/26 [76] Inventors: Donald J. McKenzie; Ernest F. gggg g; 3 g g "248/314 Frledly both of 979 Miller Street l Den er Co 2 5 2,729,080 1/1956 Bennett 1 l ..248/3l4 X [22] Filed: Oct. 19, 1970 Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-George H. Krizmanich [21] Appl' SL717 Attorney-Enloe Wilkinson [52] US. Cl ..233/26, 211/74 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..B04b 9/12 A centnfuge havmg a circular head horizontally [58] new of Search "233/1 24 mounted on a vertical rotable shaft with a resilient test tube holder mounted adjacent the head having radially disposed openings in alignment with openings in the [56] References Cited head for frietionally engaging test iubes inserted UNITED STATES PATENTS through the Openings- 3,361,343 1/1968 Lerner ..233/26 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 9:915

1 x'llllllll'llllllllll INVENTORS. ERNEST E FRIEDLY DONALD J. MCKENZIE ATTORNEY CENTRIFUGES This invention relates to centrifuges and more particularly to centrifuges of the type used in laboratories where samples of materials are subject to centrifugal action for analysis or testing. Usually test tubes or similar vessels are mounted in radially disposed slots in a rotatable centrifuge head which permit the test tubes to assume an angular position to the axis of rotation when in motion and to return to a substantially vertical position when at rest.

In such centrifuges each test tube must be removed individually for emptying or cleansing.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tube holder which is removably mounted on a rotable centrifuge. head.

Another object is to provide a centrifuge having a holder which will retain the tubes in the head when the head is inverted for removing the contents of the tubes.

A further object is to provide an improved centrifuge having a tube holder which may be easily applied to a centrifuge head.

Another object is to provide a centrifuge which has a tube holder which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, claims and drawings appended hereto.

In the drawings, in which like references are used to designate like parts,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a rotatable centrifuge head with the tube holder attached to the underside and showing portions of the holder in broken lines.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross section of the device shown in FIG. 1 taken on the lines 2 2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing one of the tubes in broken lines positioned in the head and holder.

Referring to the drawings more in detail the centrifuge head is indicated at 10. This is usually a circular metal plate which is removably connected to a driven rotatable shaft 11.

The head may be secured to the shaft 11 by screws or bolts 12 which also engage the holder 13 which is made of a resilient material, and secure them both to the rotatable shaft 11. The head and holder may be otherwise keyed to the shaft in any suitable manner.

The tube holder 13 snaps onto the underside of the head 10 and has an upstanding peripheral rim or flange 14 which engages the peripheral edge of the head 10. The rim 14 has spaced, inwardly extending portions 15 which overlay the outer margin of the head and clamp the holder to the head.

The head 10 has radially disposed elongated openings 16 through which the test tubes 17 extend. These openings permit the tubes to swing outwardly as the head is rotated by the shaft 11. The holder 13 has circular openings 18 in alignment with the elongated openings 16 in the head. These openings have a diameter slightly less than the width of the elongated openings 16 in the head 10 and less than the diameter of the tube 17;

The holder 13 has arcuate, oppositely disposed slits l9 and 20. The centers of the arcuate slits pass through the outer periphery of the circular openings 18 in the holder 13 fprmiiag flaps 21, 22 23 and 24 in the holder. As shown in Fl 2, a test tube 17, shown in broken lines is inserted through the elongated opening 16 in the head 10 and through the aligned circular opening 18 in the holder 13. Since the openings 18 in the holder have a diameter slightly less than that of the tube 17, the tube pushes against the flaps forcing them downwardly and the flaps frictionally engage the side of the tube as shown in FIG. 2.

The tubes 17 may be individually removed from the head 10 and holder 13 by lifting them upwardly. In

order to empty all of the tubes at one time by tilting or inverting them, the screws or bolts 12 are removed and the head 10 together with the holder 13 are removed fromthe shaft 11. The head 10 and holder 13 together with tubes 17 may then befinverted and the tubes will not fall out of the holder 13 which is clamped to the head by the portions 15 which overlay the head.

It is to be understood that this disclosure is by way of illustration and not limitation and that various other embodiments of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the claims and spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A centrifuge comprising a circular head horizontally mounted on a vertical rotatable shaft, said head having elongated radially disposed. openings for receiving test tubes and a resilient test tube holder secured beneath said head having circular openings in central alignment with the openings in said head, said circular openings having a diameter less then the width of theopenings in the head, said holder having flap portions adjacent the circular openings therein.

2. A centrifuge as defined in claim 1 wherein the holder has oppositely disposed arcuate slits adjacent the circular forming said flaps.

3. A centrifuge as defined in claim 1 wherein the holder has an upstanding peripheral rim co-extensive with and adjacent the peripheral edge of said head.

4. A centrifuge as defined in claim 3 wherein the upper edge of the upstanding peripheral rim has spaced inwardly extending portions overlaying the upper surface of the head.

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1. A centrifuge comprising a circular head horizontally mounted on a vertical rotatable shaft, said head having elongated radially disposed openings for receiving test tubes and a resilient test tube holder secured beneath said head having circular openings in central alignment with the openings in said head, said circular openings having a diameter less then the width of the openings in the head, said holder having flap portions adjacent the circular openings therein.
 2. A centrifuge as defined in claim 1 wherein the holder has oppositely disposed arcuate slits adjacent the circular forming said flaps.
 3. A centrifuge as defined in claim 1 wherein the holder has an upstanding peripheral rim co-extensive with and adjacent the peripheral edge of said head.
 4. A centrifuge as defined in claim 3 wherein the upper edge of the upstanding peripheral rim has spaced inwardly extending portions overlaying the upper surface of the head. 